Exodus 17:3-7 / Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 / John 4:5-42 (Year A readings)
There are photographs of the planet Earth taken from outer space.
These photos show a beautiful planet with bluish and whitish shades.
The reason for this is that our Earth is covered by a large amount of water. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water, which gives it a beautiful appearance from outer space.
Indeed, our Earth, the blue planet, is beautiful because of the water in it.
Not only is the Earth beautiful because of the water in it, the human body has about 70% of water, and so, human beings, like the Earth, are beautiful.
Water is a common substance, and yet, it is so vital for life.
Water washes and cleanses, it also refreshes and hydrates the human body.
Besides that, other interesting and fascinating aspects of water is that it can exist in three states, that is, as a liquid, as a gas and as ice.
And water is also flexible in that it takes on the shape of the vessel that it is poured into.
Indeed, there are many lessons about life that we can learn from water.
In the gospel, Jesus began conversation with a Samaritan woman by asking for water to drink.
And from her understanding of water as vital for life, Jesus then talked about living water.
From her need of water to quench her thirst, she became interested in the living water that will give her eternal life.
On this third Sunday of Lent, the RCIA Elect begin the period of purification and enlightenment, by reflecting on the physical and spiritual meaning of water as they prepare for baptism.
They will be baptized with water which will wash away their sins.
The waters of Baptism is also a living water that will give them eternal life.
For the Elect, and for us the baptized, we reflect deeper on this common substance of water, as well as Baptism.
At Baptism, we become like who we are baptized in, and we are baptized in Christ, and therefore we become like Christ.
We also become like what we are baptized with, and we are baptized with water, and so, we become like water.
We become not like ordinary water, we become like living water.
Like water that takes the form of the vessel that it is in, we are like living water that will flow to where and to who Jesus will send us to.
Also, in the encounter between a stone and water, the lesson that we learn is that the water will prevail.
The flowing water will smoothen out the rough edges of the stone, and even make the stone beautiful.
May we let the Living Water from Jesus Christ flow into our minds and hearts, and quench the thirst of our lives.
And may the Living Water from Jesus Christ cleanse and purify us and also enlighten us.
May we see that in the soft and gentle water is the power of the love of God, which will forgive us, heal us, sanctify us and make us into living waters for others.